Scarletspeed7's Top 100 Video Game Characters of All Time
Note: Video Game Characters Only. Does not include other mediums. First Appearance: Killer7 It's difficult to discuss the amazing and deeply layered character called Garcian Smith without spoiling a masterfully written game. There is a strong air of mystery surrounding this more-than-competant hitman that grows and changes as the plot of the game takes shape. It's difficult, then, to provide compelling reasons why Garcian belongs on this list. But suffice it to say, there is much more than meets the eye . How much more? At least six times more. Maybe less. It's hard to say. Regardless, in a cerebral psychological thriller, it is of paramount importance that the thrilling psychology be present. And it is: Killer7 has psychologically deteriorating minds in a royal flush with a pair of aces thrown in for good measure. Working with several unique and abstract narrative concepts, Killer7 throws major plot curves at the player every chance it can. And at the center of it all... Garcian Smith stands in his sleek suit with his stylish golden gun. Again, it's hard to say much without ruining this game for new players, but Garcian's complexity demands a keen attention to detail as every moment of the game progresses; he will leave you with a provocative impression long after you turn off your console. That's what a great game character can do. First Appearance: Saints Row 2 I love Shaundi; I pretty much can't get enough of her quasi-psychotic ass-kicking, joke-making, hair-trigger angry personality, and the fact that she can take alien invasions, giant soda cans and Burt Reynolds in stride makes her that much cooler. She deserves to be Secretary of State. The best part of Shaundi, though, is that she has an alternate digital counterpart turned into a functional AI called Fun Shaundi, and they hate each other. So great; I love Shaundi and Fun Shaundi's interactions. First Appearance: Heroes of Might and Magic III: Armageddon's Blade If you like smirking, devil-may-care elven generals with a penchant for sharpshooting and military tactics, then you will love Gelu, star of the most popular iteration of the long-lived HoMM series. Gelu first appears in Armageddon's Blade, the first HoMM3 expansion, and over the course of it and Shadow of Death proves himself to be a great asset to the Erathian military. Gelu's conquests and campaigns describe a character who starts as a student fresh to the ranks of the ranger recruits who learns what war can truly mean. Gelu changes as he encounters the ultimate staying power of death, witnessing full civilizations bend a knee at its throne. It's this growth that makes Gelu memorable and dynamic. Fighting side by side with some of Might and Magic's longest-lasting stars, Gelu holds his own both on the battlefield and in the story. By the time he reaches the end of Armageddon's Blade (with said Blade fully in his grasp), Gelu is very different. Now a veteran of the atrocities he witnesses, it makes his ultimate fate by the beginning of HoMM4 that much more shocking and maybe fitting. Of course, when a dynamic, strong-willed character is handed the power of a god, sparks will fly. First Appearance: Portal 2 This guy is all personality, and that's so damn impressive when you consider that your only exposure to him is in archived recordings long past. I think that the beauty of Johnson's eccentric flighty and somewhat sinister behavior is that you're not truly experiencing it first-hand, so that detached from his contemporary actions, we witness an Ozymandias-like aftereffect for a once-prominent tycoon. It's comical and tragic and ultimately draws you in through the humor and keeps you there with the sorrow. Great stuff. First Appearance: Destroy All Humans! I loved the subversive humor of the original Destroy All Humans! and that's completely thanks to the wonderfully down-to-Earth alien from space called Crypto. He's such a 50s mook with a chip on his shoulder and a belt full of ridiculous gadgets that everything he does always brings a smile to my face. There's really not much else to say on this one; he just makes me laugh and keeps me entertained, and for that he's deserving of a placement. First Appearance: Half-Life 2 Alyx Vance is, in many ways, the truly ideal person. She is not what advertising and patriarchal society want us to believe is the ideal; she does not wear makeup and her clothing is practical, not revealing. It is impossible to know for sure, but I would bet good money that she doesn’t shave her armpits. Why would she? She is ideal in the sense that she embodies everything that is valuable in a human being. She is intelligent, kind, and reliable. First Appearance: Borderlands Lilith is just a strong, competent female character that isn't sexualized and comes off as just about as normal a person as anyone on Pandora can possibly be. She has a good head on her shoulders... shoulders that can manifest giant ******* energy wings while she blasts the **** out of anyone who gets in her way. I find her dialogue just constantly develops this fantastic little personality that makes me empathize with her rather than sympathize, and her responses to situations are just so fantastically acted that you believe every moment of it. And for a game as balls-to-the-walls ridiculous as Borderlands, that's high praise. First Appearance: Breath of Fire II Jean takes the Princess and the Frog myth and completely turns it on its head at his first appearance, but he goes on to be a great, unique character in his own right afterwards. His disinterest in his royal heritage comes at the chagrin of his family, but never let it be said that he won't come to their aid if need be. Of course, that doesn't mean he'll jump at the chance to take on any responsibility he can avoid, but still, he's a loyal if perhaps overly slacking guy. First Appearance: Dishonored Corvo is one of those silent protagonists whose story is so wildly engrossing that you really feel like you BECOME Corvo. The level of skill at which you choose to play can really color your perception of Mr. Attano, so much so that for me, after taking great pains to never kill anyone, I really felt like Corvo was an avenging spirit in the night, righting wrongs without ever leaving a trace. In that sense, he was (for me) a true heroic character. First Appearance: Far Cry 3 What more could you look for in an attractive female? Citra’s strong. She’s a leader. She commands respect. Sure, she will kill you if given the chance, but you got to take the good with the bad. Frankly, Citra balances the right amount of crazy with a deep empathy for a unique and threatened culture that results in one of those wiser-than-you-can-possibly-understand native hotties that can open a player's eyes in ways that simple storytelling can't do on its own.